Marcia Kaplan

Articles by: Marcia Kaplan

Marcia Kaplan

Marcia Kaplan is a longtime contributor to Practical Ecommerce, addressing capital markets, global online trends, and more since 2011.

She is also a seasoned business writer and technology market research analyst, having written for trade magazines and newspapers, including CRN, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and Ziff Davis. Her consulting clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as startups

Marcia holds an M.B.A. from San Jose State University in California and a B.A. in sociology from Binghamton University in New York.

Email Marcia.

Inventory
Mixed Success for Private Label Brands

May 15, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

In-house retail brands are typically less expensive and experience robust sales in inflationary periods. But not every initiative is successful.
Customer Retention
Post-Covid Shoppers Are Omnichannel

April 30, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

Consumers are returning to in-store shopping — after they research online and while they compare competitive prices on-premises.
Customer Service
Can ChatGPT Improve Customer Service?

April 13, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

Cost cuts and employee turnover have taken a toll on customer service. Are conversational AI tools the answer?
Inventory
Rising Costs Prompt New Return Policies

April 3, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

The era of free returns, unlimited returns, and returnless refunds has been enormously expensive to most merchants.
Finance
Hubris Upended Silicon Valley Bank

March 19, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

The demise of Silicon Valley Bank was the culmination of balance sheet mismanagement, aggressive expansion, and reliance on a relatively small number of customers.
Finance
Actually, Ecommerce Excelled in 2022

March 2, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

Ecommerce sales in the U.S. and worldwide posted strong growth in 2022, despite headlines to the contrary. Global ecommerce retail sales grew by nearly 10% and reached a record 19.7% of total retail.
Inventory
Can Fast Fashion Ever Be Sustainable?

February 19, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

Inexpensive polyester-based garments are quick to make and quicker to dispose. The environmental impact is devastating.
Analytics & Data
2022 Holiday Shopping Wrap-up

January 30, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

U.S. holiday 2022 ecommerce sales were slightly higher than 2021 — confounding skeptics who predicted a decline — and comprised 21.6% of total retail spend.
Payments
Trouble Brewing for Buy Now, Pay Later Providers

January 17, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

Consumers love buy now, pay later programs. But after rapid growth, the industry is staggering under rising interest rates, delinquent borrowers, and overexpansion.
Finance
Cryptocurrencies and SPACs Implode

January 8, 2023 • Marcia Kaplan

In 2022, the value of cryptocurrencies and special purpose acquisition companies dramatically declined. Here's our analysis.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Amid FBA Fee Hikes, Sellers Consider Alternatives

December 20, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Rising fees strain FBA sellers — forcing some to raise the price of goods and others to pursue alternative sales channels. Contributor Marcia Kaplan takes a closer look.
Business
Sales Report 2022: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday

December 1, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

U.S. consumers spent freely this year during the traditional five-day holiday shopping kickoff. We look at the numbers in this our eighth annual Cyber Week sales analysis.
Cross-border Selling
Turmoil for Chinese Ecommerce and Tech Companies

November 22, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

China's federal government is exerting increasing control over tech companies, including ecommerce. That, combined with a slowing economy, creates uncertainty.
Cross-border Selling
Ecommerce Flourishes in Latin America

October 31, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Ecommerce growth in Latin America during the pandemic was among the highest worldwide. Those habits appear to be permanent.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Shoppers Buy Necessities, Not Gifts, in Amazon’s October Event

October 17, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Consumers responded to Amazon's Early Access Prime event, but not for holiday shopping. Here's our recap.
Business
What Motivates Consumers to Shop Sustainably?

October 3, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Concerns about sustainability vary depending on age, gender, and location. Research shows merchants have different perceptions than consumers on the topic.
Cross-border Selling
Southeast Asia Tops Worldwide Ecommerce Growth

September 15, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

There are 10 countries in Southeast Asia. Five of them have the fastest ecommerce growth rates on the planet. Here are the numbers — sales, growth %, and leading providers.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Ecommerce Briefs: FBA Increases Fees; Walmart Expands Healthcare

September 9, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon Prime and Walmart+ compete for subscribers; FBA imposes holiday fees; Walmart extends healthcare initiatives.
Inventory
Stagnant Sales Are Creating an Inventory Glut

September 1, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Recession fears combined with supply-chain excesses have created a dramatic increase in unsold inventory. We explain.
Business
New U.S. Law to Spur Electric Vehicles, Clean Energy

August 16, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

The new Inflation Reduction Act impacts U.S. taxation, healthcare, and climate change. The bill's clean-energy incentives will likely produce more electric delivery vehicles and charging stations.
Finance
AWS Boosts Amazon’s Q2 2022 Results

August 7, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon reported mixed results for Q2 2022. Product sales fell, but revenue from Amazon Web Services and subscriptions grew (a lot). We dive into the details.
Finance
The Details of Shopify’s Massive Q2 2022 Loss

July 31, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Having posted a massive $1.2 billion loss in Q2 2022, Shopify effectively reset its financial outlook. Longtime contributor and analyst Marcia Kaplan looks at the details.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Prime Day 2022 Recap: Sales, Categories, More

July 18, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon's Prime Day has evolved into an industry-wide event. Since 2017 we've published an annual analysis and recap. Our 2022 installment looks at U.S. growth, average order values, and more.
Finance
For Global Unicorns, It’s Growth and Volatility

June 30, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

The availability of private capital allows companies to delay going public. The result? More than 1,000 private companies worldwide are now valued in excess of $1 billion. But it's not always smooth sailing. We explain.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Ecommerce Briefs: Google Marketplace; Walmart; Drones

June 19, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

This installment of "Ecommerce Briefs," an occasional series, includes developments on Google ecommerce, Walmart fulfillment and infrastructure, and drone deliveries.
Finance
9 Europe-based Ecommerce Unicorns

May 29, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Post-pandemic investments soar for many European startups. Here are nine notable ecommerce-related companies valued at more than $1 billion.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Shopify Buys Logistics Company Deliverr

May 16, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Shopify's acquisition of fulfillment company Deliverr will help it compete with Amazon and will otherwise jumpstart stalled growth.
Amazon & Marketplaces
Rivian Write-down Moves Amazon to Q1 2022 Net Loss

May 10, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Amazon posted a Q1 2022 net loss, its first since 2015. Contributor and financial guru Marcia Kaplan looks at the numbers.
Finance
Secondary Markets Offer Pre-IPO Liquidity

May 2, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Many startups are refraining from going public amid market uncertainty, putting early-stage stakeholders wanting to cash out in a bind. Here are alternative ways to achieve liquidity.
Finance
The SEC Reins in SPACs, Cryptocurrencies, More

April 15, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan

Massive investments in SPACs, cryptocurrencies, and private companies have caught the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.